Detachable hook for refrigerator cars



Nov. 1, 1960 w. E. RICHTER 2,958,498

' DETACHABLE aoox FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed June 15, 1955 2Sheats-Sheet 1 2. FIG

\ INVENTOR- Arram EY Nov. 1, 1960 w. E. RICHTER 2,958,498

DETACHABLE HOOK FC'R REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed June 15, 1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 MMEM k my INVENTOR Unite 2,958,498 Patented Nov. 1, 19602,958,498 DETACHABLE HOOK FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Werner E. Richter, 16314th Ave., East Paterson, NJ. Filed June 15, 1955, Ser. No. 515,641 4Claims. (Cl. 248340) The present invention relates to hooks and moreparticularly to a novel hook adapted for use in refrigerator cars.

Current practices employed in the refrigerator car in dustry in loadingand unloading sides of beef, or like edible products, consist in hangingthe beef on an S- shaped hook detachably mounted on a supporting rail inthe car; or in suspending the beef on a pivotally mounted hook asdisclosed in my copending application Serial No. 470,577, filed November23, 1954, now abandoned.

The aforementioned S-shaped hook is unsuitable for use with modernmethods of transportation of edible products, not only from thestandpoint of unreasonable cost involved in the loss, replacement andcleaning of hooks, but also because of the extreme hazard presented topersonnel engaged in the car loading operations. Continued developmentof the hook disclosed in said co pending application has resulted in adevice automatic in operation, while still retaining the desirablefeature of detachability which renders it adaptable for removal andcleaning purposes. The herein disclosed hook is designed with suchflexibility as to provide for economical and speedy loading andunloading of cars While providing a large degree of safety to workersengaged in performing this operation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a versatile hook having fewmoving parts and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator car hookautomatically movable to a raised position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a detachably mountedhook capable of ease in removal for cleaning purposes.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a hook capable ofsupporting a plurality of loads without interference therebetween.

With these and other objects in view, as will more readily appear,reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of apparatus utilized in supporting thehandle portion of a hook;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing the hook ina lowered operative position, and by dotted lines, the assumed positionwhen not in use;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a modification of the device shown inFigure 1; and

Figure 4 is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing details ofapparatus for supporting a handle of the hook of Figure 3.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, there is shown a plurality of rails adapted for attachment tooverhead structure extending the length of a railway refrigerator car.Positioned over the rail in either fixed or movable relationshiptherewith is an inverted U-shaped bracket 12 provided with a pair ofjaw-like slots adjacent its lower end. The slots consist of upstandingstop members 14 oppositely disposed from diagonal surfaces 16terminating near the back of the bracket in a vertical wall 18.

A removable hook holding assembly 20 including a hook holder 22supporting the handle end 24 of a hook 26, is adapted for positioningwithin the slots. The holder 22 is equipped with a pair of laterallyextending arms or plates 28 of a size capable of fitting within theslots formed in bracket 12. The lower end of the holder receives and isformed to the curvature of handle 24 thereby providing a large surfacecontact for relative motion therebetween. As shown in Figure l, thehandle 24 extends through the holder and is furnished with an opening 30adjacent one end for receiving an extremity of spring 32. The other endof the spring extends through a similar opening 34 bored in a wall ofholder 22 for firmly anchoring the spring to the assembly.

Referring to Figure 2, the handle 36 of the hook is equipped with a pairof supporting prods 38 and 40 for respectively receiving two meat loads,usually one small and one large. The shank 36 is curved as shown, sothat the load on prod 38 cannot become engaged or otherwise entangledwith the sharp point of prod 4 0. It will be noted that points or prods38 and 40 are formed on the hook in a manner to have them race upuwardlywhen the hook assumes the horizontal position. As indicated above,removal of a load from the hook, permits the spring to overcomefrictional and gravity forces acting thereon and raise it freely to thehorizontal.

In assembling the parts comprisinghook holding assembly 20, the handle24 is inserted through holder 22 and attached spring 32. The handle mustthen be turned to a position where the shank 36 is substantially on aplane passing horizontally through the holder 22 so that the end ofspring 32 can be fitted in opening 30 provided in the hook handle. Theends of spring 32 are then preferably, although not necessarily, bent toa locking position to prevent accidental disengagement of the handle 24from the spring and holder. The purpose of assembling the parts in thismanner is that when the assembly is mounted in bracket 12, the springbiases the hook shank to a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2,for positioning the points of prods 38 and 40 adjacent the car ceilingthereby precluding possible injury to personnel working in the car. Whenit is desired to place a load on either or both prods, the shank ispulled downwardly against the action of spring 32 and upon applicationof the load, the weight thereof is then capable of maintaining the hookin a vertical position. From the above, it is evident that the hook, byvirtue of the tension in the spring, assumes a horizontal and thereforea safe position when not in use, but will remain in a vertical positionwhen a load is suspended from either prod. In the event steam cleaningof the hook is necessary, the hook holding assembly 20 is removed fromthe bracket as a unit, thus making it unnecessary to dismantle theapparatus.

Referring now to the modification of Figures 3 and 4, there is shown arail 50 supporting a bracket 52in the same manner as that disclosed inthe species of Figure l and 2. A pair of jaw-like slots are formed inthe bracket for receiving a hook holding assembly 54 adapted for removalas a unit. Hook holder 56 is furnished with laterally extending plates58 which coac-t with stop member 60 for preventing longitudinaldisplacement of the hook holder in the jaw-like slots. The lower portion62 of the hook holder is formed to the curvature of a sleeve 64encompassing handle 65 of a book.

The sleeve 64 is made of relatively heavy material for withstandingrugged use and is designed to conform closely to the peripheral surfaceof handle 66. A longitudinal slot extends the length of the sleeve andthe latter is provided at an end with a cut-out portion 68 engageable bystud 70 aflixed to the surface of handle 66. Integrally formed} with thesleeve is an upstanding member 72 oppositely disposed from the cut-outportion for receiving an end of spring 74encircling the sleeve. Theotherend 76 of the spring protrudes through an opening 78 in. the hookholder for firmly attaching the spring to the sleeve. Flange 80encircling sleeve 64 prevents handle 66 of the hook from becomingdisengaged from the hook holder.

With the parts fixed in the position shown in Figure 3, the shank of thehook will remain in a horizontal position due to the action of Springbiased sleeve against lug 70 on the hook handle. When it is desirable toload the hook, it is rotated manually to a vertical position and in sodoing, the lug 70 acts against the cut-out portion of sleeve 64 causingclockwise rotation of the sleeve and thus winding or creating a tensionin the spring. The weight of an applied load to the prods will thenmaintain the hookin a vertical position. The tension in the spring isjust suflicient to support the hook in a horizontal position when not inuse and is not so great as to cause difliculty in moving the hook to avertical position for loading.

While only the preferred embodiments of the invention have beendescribed, it Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and changes may be made Without departing from the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for suspending a load from a supporting member comprisingbracket means adapted for attachment to said member; open jaw-like slotsin walls of said bracket means for detachably receiving a hook holdingassembly; said assembly comprising a holder removably positioned in theslots formed in Walls of said bracket means and held against outwarddisplacement during use by a stop member formed on the bracket means butcapable of ready disengagement therefrom; a hook having a handle on oneend rotatably mounted in said holder and thereby capable of movementbetween vertical and horizontal positions; said hook terminating at itsother end in a pointed prod for receiving said load; and biasing meansconnected between said holder and said hook for rotating the latter to ahorizontal position when in an unloaded condition.

2. A hook device for supporting a load from an overhead supportcomprising a U-shaped bracket adapted for attachment to said support,open jaw-like slots formed in oppositely disposed walls of said bracketfor detachably receiving a hook holding assembly, said assemblycomprising a U-shaped holder having outwardly extending armsrespectively insertable in said slots for locating said holder in afixed immovable position, a hook having a handle portion mounted forrotation in said fixed holder and in an arc with respect thereto, andbiasing means attached to said holder and connected for coaction withsaid hook for moving the latter through said are to a horizontalposition when in an unloaded condition.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said biasing meanscomprises a spring concentrically mounted on the handle portion of saidhook.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein a sleeve is mounted onthe handle portion of said hook, a protruding member on said handleportion engageable by said sleeve, and a pre-stressed springinterconnecting said holder and said sleeve for causing the latter toexert a force against said protruding member and thereby cause rotationof said hook in the holder to a horizontal position when in an unloadedcondition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS609,414 Couch Aug. 23, 1898 1,253,852 Mankey Jan. 15, 1918 1,554,391To-wn Sept. 22, 1925 1,606,065 Eveleth Nov. 9, 1926 1,963,908 ManasekJune 19, 1934 2,037,320 Fisher Apr, 14, 1936 2,470,878 Tate May 24, 19492,739,779 Krone Mar. 27, 1956 2,812,380 Lehrke Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGNPATENTS 750,078 Germany Dec. 14, 1944

